I. Political Relations

China and Cambodia enjoy time-honored traditional friendship. They established diplomatic relations on July 19, 1958. Chinese leaders of different generations have been very close to King Sihanouk and cultivated profound friendship with him, thus laying a solid foundation for long-standing and stable development of Sino-Cambodian relations. During the 1950s and 1960s, Premier Zhou Enlai and President Liu Shaoqi visited Cambodia many a time, while Prince Sihanouk visited China 6 times. Between 1970s and 1980s, Prince Sihanouk had two long stays in China, to lead the Cambodian people's struggle against the foreign aggression and for national independence and sovereignty and won full support of the Chinese Government and People.

Since 1990s, Sino-Cambodian relations have entered a new phase of development. Leaders of the two countries maintained frequent contacts and exchanges of visits. President Jiang Zemin, Chairman of the CPPCC Li Ruihuan and Premier Zhu Rongji visited Cambodia respectively. King of Cambodia Sihanouk, President of the Chea Sim, President of National Assembly Ranariddh and Prime Minister Hun Sen visited China one after another.

In November 2000, President Jiang Zemin paid a state visit to Cambodia. Both sides signed the Joint Statement on bilateral cooperation, confirming further development of closer and stable traditional, neighborly and friendly relations between the two countries in the new century.

In November 2002, Premier Zhu Rongji visited Cambodia. The leaders of the two countries agreed to take agriculture, development of human resources and infrastrutural construction as key areas for cooperation between the two countries. The Chinese Government declared that all the overdue Cambodian debts would be exempted.

King Sihanouk and the Government of Kingdom of Cambodia abide by one China policy and support the peaceful unification cause of the Chinese people.

The two countries continue to strengthen friendly cooperation in the economic, trade, cultural, educational and military fields, coordinate and cooperate with each other closely over international and regional issues.

II. Economic and Trade Relations

Recent years have seen fast development of economic and trade relations between China and Cambodia, and the areas for cooperation kept expanding. In 1996, the two countries signed the agreement on trade, investment promotion and protection, and in 2000 set up an economic and trade cooperation committee.

In 2002, Sino-Cambodian trade volume reached US$ 0.27 billion, up 15% from 2001. China's exports to Cambodia are textiles, steels, electric device, metals machinery and building materials and its imports from Cambodia are rubber, plywood, panels and furniture.

Up to June 2002, China had invested over 100 projects in Cambodia, with its contractual sum worth US$ 0.3 billion-ranking the 4th place of foreign investment in Cambodia. Its major areas for investment are infrastructural construction, agricultural development, garment-processing and hospital-building.

In order to help Cambodia with its post-war reconstruction, China has provided Cambodia with a certain amount of economic aid.

III. Exchanges and Cooperation in Other Areas

Over the recent years, China and Cambodia have seen continuous expansion of contacts and cooperation in various areas. They have signed agreements on cooperation in culture, tourism and agriculture, and there were exchanges of visits between the parliaments, armies, press, and health of the two countries.

The foreign ministers of the two countries have maintained good cooperative relations, and established the mechanism for diplomatic consultation. Cambodia has opened its consulates-general in Guangzhou and Shanghai. In June 2003, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing visited Cambodia, exchanged in-depth views with Cambodian leaders on strengthening neighborliness and friendship, deepening mutually beneficial cooperation and the international and regional issues of common concern, and reached broad consensus.

Sino-Cambodian military relations have developed steadily. Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission Zhang Wannian and Chi Haotian as well as Chief of General Staff Fu Quanyou visited Cambodia respectively. Cambodian United Defence Minister Tea Bank, Prince Sisowath Sirirath commander-in-chief of Royal Army Ke Kim Yan and his deputy Khong Kim visited China one after another.

(Source:fmprc.gov.cn, Last Update: October 23, 2003)